The invention, which belongs to the field of infrared detection technology, provides a photovoltaic infrared detector based on a GaSb/InSb/InP heterogeneous PIN structure. The detector is composed ofa back electrode, a heavily-doped N+ type InP substrate, a heavily-doped N+ type InP electron transport layer, an undoped narrow-stopband InSb active region, and a heavily-doped P+ type GaSb hole transport layer, and a grid bar type upper electrode that are arranged successively from bottom to top. With the low-voltage metal organic chemical vapor phase epitaxy technique, a corresponding structureis prepared at the heavily-doped N+ type InP substrate and the upper electrode and the back electrode are prepared by using a magnetron sputtering technology, so that the obtained device has characteristics of high detection rate, fast response speed, high working temperature and simple preparation process and the like. At a room temperature, the normalized detection rate D* is 2.4*1010cm Hz1/2W-1. The photovoltaic infrared detector can be applied to aerospace, military, industrial and civil fields.